Note: Gardening is a different experience for everyone and will affect each person differently. Every benefit listed is not promised, and we will never post any pseudo-science when it comes to health benefits. All facts in the article will be cited or easily verifiable through research.
According to the National Garden Bureau, the medical community around the world is discovering the health benefits of having a garden and actively gardening. From the relaxing and de-stressing emotional benefits to the physical benefits there are plenty of reasons why gardening could be a great health choice for you!
The Benefits of Gardening
There are many benefits to gardening besides beautiful and fragrant flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables. Your life can be enriched both physically and emotionally. How, you say? Good ol’ science!
Emotional
For many people throughout history, gardening has been seen as a therapeutic and calming. This is because when we get out to garden, we’re focusing on a task that has a very tangible goal and outcome and is associated with self-help and personal betterment. Everyone knows that vegetables are better for you than soda, and flowers look better than dirt (okay that one is subjective, but most people will agree with us here). It’s always satisfying to have something we’ve worked towards and put money into work out for us, and that’s why gardening is so great. At the end of the day, you can walk to your backyard (or wherever), look at your garden and think “I made this. There are many like it, but this is mine”. You have personally followed through with something and gotten a tangible result which is a great feeling.
There are many examples of how this “goal funnel” works in psychology, but the science is the same. When a person works hard towards something and is given and a pleasing result is more likely to set more goals and follow through on them. Why? Chemicals, specifically dopamine, in the brain. Monica Metha wrote a pretty convincing article on the short term goal thing right here, and you should check it out because it explains really well why gardening is such a rewarding experience.
Gardening has also been shown to:
Physical
Getting outside, getting down on your hands and knees pulling weeds, lugging around a watering can, wiping the sweat off your brow every few minutes. For some, this is the perfect Saturday afternoon, and for others it should be something they look to do more often! Getting outside and being active is something indisputably viewed as healthy, and planting a garden has a few other benefits to boot.
Now there is a lot os pseudo-science and hearsay about the actual benefits of gardening, so we’re not going to promise anything. Every person has a different reaction to external stimuli and therefore we can’t promise an end-all to your physical ailments, but what we can promise is that according to well-documented studies these things work! So here are some real-world physical benefits of gardening and their sources:
- Reduced risk of heart attack and stroke in people older than 60 – That half hour a day of physical activity is pivotal when you start inching up there in years, and gardening is a great way to keep it up!
- Improved hand strength and dexterity – Working with your hands helps with your hands! Science!
- Lower blood pressure and boosted immune system – A nice byproduct of not being stressed is having lowered blood pressure, also thanks to the nice healthy new inclusions in your diet. Exposure to microbes in the soil also helps with your immune system.
- Provide a new, balanced diet that can help with a number of dietary problems.
How Can I Start?
So by now you’re probably thinking “Wow, I need a garden!” to which we say “You’re right!”. Having a garden at home is a great feeling and very rewarding (as we hope we have shown) so make sure you do it right. We have a great resource on how to start your very own vegetable garden that is a great place for beginners to gardening and those looking to get back into it. Any more questions you have can be answered by a number of our onsite specialists at Koopman Lumber, so head over to our locations page and find the store nearest you!
Wrap Up
Gardens are more powerful than people realize. The physical and emotional benefits are tangible and delicious! If you have any more questions make sure you reach out to use by clicking here and filling out our “Ask Koopman” form on the page! Thanks for reading and happy gardening!
